Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
NOTEBOOK: Totem Bowl Rivalry Renewed on Saturday
8/26/2024 5:33:00 PM | Football, General, Women's Soccer, BRAA, Student-Athlete Advisory Committee
Women’s Soccer picks up rivalry win over Tennessee Tech; Cross Country, Volleyball starts season this week
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Before each football team group's lift on Sunday, as Middle Tennessee Football continued its preparation for Saturday's game with Tennessee Tech, quarterback Nicholas Vattiato said Director of Strength and Conditioning Jamie Blatnick walked each group out of the weight room, past the vending machines outside the football coaches' locker room, past the equipment room and up the loading dock ramp, taking the groups into the Kennon Sports Hall of Fame.
In a glass case, sitting in the exhibit closest to Blatnick's office inside the building, sat the Totem Pole, known to those associated with MTSU as "Harvey" and to those associated with Tennessee Tech as "Shinny-Ninny", that will be played for once again on Saturday when the Blue Raiders take on the Golden Eagles at 6 p.m. in Floyd Stadium.
"He was just trying to stress the importance of what this game's about," Vattiato said. "There's a lot of history behind it, nothing should be taken lightly."
Once the most intense rivalry in either school's football history, with MTSU holding a slight edge 35-32-7 all-time, the Totem Bowl, named for the Alaskan Totem that became the rivalry trophy after it was donated by Murfreesboro department store owner Fred Harvey in 1960, has only been played once since MTSU made the jump to I-A/FBS football in 1999, a 44-0 thrashing by the Blue Raiders in 2006.
Talking to the those who were around in the OVC days, it's easy to paint an almost mythological picture of Harvey's travels over the years. It's particularly easy to do so given the actual pranks that predated the trophy's introduction to provide, to quote the Hall of Fame exhibit, a more "constructive" outlet for the students on campus other than dropping leaflets from an airplane calling MTSU a high school on the football field (as Tech did one time in the 1960s) or, and this is true, kidnapping would-be-graffiti artists and shaving their heads (as happened at MTSU in the 1950s).
Blatnick's point, Vattiato noted, was that intensity highlighted in the exhibit was still there in the campus communities of both schools. And even with a Tennessee Tech also welcoming a new coach after a disappointing 2023, there's no reason to lose focus ahead of MTSU's annual FCS opponent.
It was a point his coach echoed moments earlier in the first game week press conference of the 2024 season.
"We understand with it being Tennessee Tech week, it provides a different flair," head coach Derek Mason said. "The Totem Bowl is back. We get a chance to rekindle an old rivalry.
"Our football team has to worry about us," Mason continued. "It's not who we play, it's how we play. For us, I tell our guys all the time respect our opponents, make sure that we practice the way we need to practice, be process driven so that the outcomes that we want come about."
What Happened in the 'Boro: MTSU Soccer kicks off beat Tech week with a win
At Dean A. Hayes Track & Soccer Stadium on Sunday evening, Blue Raider fans were treated to a high scoring match with goals from three different Blue Raiders, ending in a 3-2 victory, MTSU's first of the 2024 season.
Emma Pettersen headed home a goal off a cross from Idun Kvaale in the 10th minute, before Manon Lebargy struck home an easy rebound goal off a saved Kvaale shot to give MTSU an early 2-0 lead. While the Golden Eagles would get goals in the final minute of each half, Kvaale's second half strike on the volley in transition from Pettersen proved to be the winner.
This was MTSU's first win over the perennial OVC contender Golden Eagles in four games dating back to 2016. The Blue Raiders drew Tennessee Tech last season in Cookeville, 2-2.
MTSU stays at home on both Thursday and Sunday this week, taking on North Alabama Thursday evening at 6 p.m. and Bellarmine on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Starting Up their seasons on the road: Volleyball and Cross Country
MTSU's other fall sports are also starting their seasons up this weekend, with Cross Country traveling to Memphis for its traditional season opener under Keith Vroman, Christian Brothers University's Memphis Twilight Classic.
Volleyball, meanwhile, heads west to Big Sky Country for a pair of games at Montana State, playing the Big 10's Washington on Saturday before playing the host Bobcats on Sunday. The Blue Raiders won all four sets in their final preseason tune up over the weekend, blanking Belmont at Alumni Gym 4-0.
Video of the Week: Training Camp: Middle Tennessee Football – Episode 2
I'm always very impressed with the product our creative services team produces here at MTSU, but I've especially enjoyed what's come out of the football office since Jonathon Diaz was promoted to Director of Football Creative under Derek Mason. A recruiting graphic designer GA last year, Diaz has gotten the chance to not only build football's dedicated recruiting creative staff this offseason, but also gotten a chance to show more of his skill set in the new role.
He's taken the lead on the football program's training camp documentary and had a great episode about special teams come out over the weekend. Make sure to watch it below if you haven't already!
Football Game Week Reminders
Here's some odds and ends from folks on our ticketing and operations staff ahead of this Saturday's football game:
Learn more about the pre-game Party in the Grove experience in our release from last week here: https://goblueraiders.com/news/2024/8/19/football-party-in-the-grove.aspx
And check out this mobile ticketing explainer here to save time in line at the Floyd Stadium gates on Game Day!
In a glass case, sitting in the exhibit closest to Blatnick's office inside the building, sat the Totem Pole, known to those associated with MTSU as "Harvey" and to those associated with Tennessee Tech as "Shinny-Ninny", that will be played for once again on Saturday when the Blue Raiders take on the Golden Eagles at 6 p.m. in Floyd Stadium.
"He was just trying to stress the importance of what this game's about," Vattiato said. "There's a lot of history behind it, nothing should be taken lightly."
Once the most intense rivalry in either school's football history, with MTSU holding a slight edge 35-32-7 all-time, the Totem Bowl, named for the Alaskan Totem that became the rivalry trophy after it was donated by Murfreesboro department store owner Fred Harvey in 1960, has only been played once since MTSU made the jump to I-A/FBS football in 1999, a 44-0 thrashing by the Blue Raiders in 2006.
Talking to the those who were around in the OVC days, it's easy to paint an almost mythological picture of Harvey's travels over the years. It's particularly easy to do so given the actual pranks that predated the trophy's introduction to provide, to quote the Hall of Fame exhibit, a more "constructive" outlet for the students on campus other than dropping leaflets from an airplane calling MTSU a high school on the football field (as Tech did one time in the 1960s) or, and this is true, kidnapping would-be-graffiti artists and shaving their heads (as happened at MTSU in the 1950s).
Blatnick's point, Vattiato noted, was that intensity highlighted in the exhibit was still there in the campus communities of both schools. And even with a Tennessee Tech also welcoming a new coach after a disappointing 2023, there's no reason to lose focus ahead of MTSU's annual FCS opponent.
It was a point his coach echoed moments earlier in the first game week press conference of the 2024 season.
"We understand with it being Tennessee Tech week, it provides a different flair," head coach Derek Mason said. "The Totem Bowl is back. We get a chance to rekindle an old rivalry.
"Our football team has to worry about us," Mason continued. "It's not who we play, it's how we play. For us, I tell our guys all the time respect our opponents, make sure that we practice the way we need to practice, be process driven so that the outcomes that we want come about."
What Happened in the 'Boro: MTSU Soccer kicks off beat Tech week with a win
At Dean A. Hayes Track & Soccer Stadium on Sunday evening, Blue Raider fans were treated to a high scoring match with goals from three different Blue Raiders, ending in a 3-2 victory, MTSU's first of the 2024 season.
Emma Pettersen headed home a goal off a cross from Idun Kvaale in the 10th minute, before Manon Lebargy struck home an easy rebound goal off a saved Kvaale shot to give MTSU an early 2-0 lead. While the Golden Eagles would get goals in the final minute of each half, Kvaale's second half strike on the volley in transition from Pettersen proved to be the winner.
This was MTSU's first win over the perennial OVC contender Golden Eagles in four games dating back to 2016. The Blue Raiders drew Tennessee Tech last season in Cookeville, 2-2.
MTSU stays at home on both Thursday and Sunday this week, taking on North Alabama Thursday evening at 6 p.m. and Bellarmine on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Get your first goal of the season ➡️ you get your boots polished 🤩 pic.twitter.com/wB4E4WzzXX
— Middle Tennessee Soccer (@MT_Soccer) August 25, 2024
Starting Up their seasons on the road: Volleyball and Cross Country
MTSU's other fall sports are also starting their seasons up this weekend, with Cross Country traveling to Memphis for its traditional season opener under Keith Vroman, Christian Brothers University's Memphis Twilight Classic.
Volleyball, meanwhile, heads west to Big Sky Country for a pair of games at Montana State, playing the Big 10's Washington on Saturday before playing the host Bobcats on Sunday. The Blue Raiders won all four sets in their final preseason tune up over the weekend, blanking Belmont at Alumni Gym 4-0.
Exhibition Match ✅#BLUEnited | #BetterInTheBoro pic.twitter.com/SZ6VICNyyW
— Middle Tennessee Volleyball (@MT_Volleyball) August 26, 2024
Video of the Week: Training Camp: Middle Tennessee Football – Episode 2
I'm always very impressed with the product our creative services team produces here at MTSU, but I've especially enjoyed what's come out of the football office since Jonathon Diaz was promoted to Director of Football Creative under Derek Mason. A recruiting graphic designer GA last year, Diaz has gotten the chance to not only build football's dedicated recruiting creative staff this offseason, but also gotten a chance to show more of his skill set in the new role.
He's taken the lead on the football program's training camp documentary and had a great episode about special teams come out over the weekend. Make sure to watch it below if you haven't already!
Football Game Week Reminders
Here's some odds and ends from folks on our ticketing and operations staff ahead of this Saturday's football game:
Learn more about the pre-game Party in the Grove experience in our release from last week here: https://goblueraiders.com/news/2024/8/19/football-party-in-the-grove.aspx
And check out this mobile ticketing explainer here to save time in line at the Floyd Stadium gates on Game Day!
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
QB
/ FootballMTSU Football vs. Jacksonville State post-game press conference – 10/29/25
Thursday, October 30
Lightning Zone Committee meeting 10/29/25
Wednesday, October 29
MTSU Football Weekly Press Conference 10/27/25
Monday, October 27
Blue Raider Notebook Presented by TOA - October 27th
Monday, October 27
